The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-04-06
For Better or Worse.

y
would like to form clear comprehen-
sion of the matter. AS yet it is impos-
sible to foresee all the effects that may
be produced upon the carrying trade of
the country by a rigid enforcement of
this law Large powers are vested in
the commission in supervising the OPP
Grafton of the statute, going even to
the extent of suspending some of its
provisions; and while much depends
upon the judgment and uprightness of
the commissioners, the most vital of
the disputed points will have to be ad-
Indicated by the courts. The railroads
were not in favor of this legislation at
the start, though at the time of its
passage they made little resistance. II
was then argued by opponents of the
measure who were not personally in
terested in railroads that its worst eff
fects would fall not upon the railroads,
but upon the public; that the railroads
would be pretty well satisfied with the
enactment of this law, which would
practically compel an advance of
through rates all over the country and
thereby increase their revenues. This
view has been justified by subsequent
events. 1t is already seen that there is
a tendency on the part of the great rail-
road lines to organize for their mutual
protection and pecuniary advantage:
that there is to be little or no reduc-
ton of rates on short hauls," but an
increase on long hauls;" that man
who travels constantly or who is an eX-
tensive shipper will enjoy no greater
advantage in rates than man who pat
ronizes railroad but once a year; and
that it is probable that hereafter the
cost of eastern products will be in
creased to people in the West and the
cost of western products increased to
people in the East. In some other re-
spects the law is not likely to be of adj
vantage to the public, at least in some
sections of the country, for the Penn
sylvania railroad among others, has
announced an increase of twenty per
cent on Communication tickets, and with
drawn its mileage tickets and restored
passenger rates to the full regular tariff.
1t is much mooted question to what
extent the new law will benefit certain
sections. The opinion of a Chicago
trade journal, which we quoted last
week, that the law would afford a per-
feet protection for western and south
ern interests, as against the East, is not
endorsed by many leading western
newspapers. In fact they betray con-
siderable uneasiness over the situation.
They say that the tariffs which allowed
the Iowa and Nebraska farmer to
market his butter, eggs and poultry in
Boston at the same figures as the YER
mont farmer, or put the California
wool-grower on an equality with the
Ohio producer, will soon be things of
the past, and that it is a fact beyond
denial that much of the discrimination
so bitterly complained of has been a
powerful factorin the wonderful growth
of the farther western states and terri
tories. An arrest of railway develop
ment in the West is also predicted.
The Buffalo Express quotes promi-
nent shipper as saying, the other day:
"The law is going to restore the old
state of things. 1t is little curious
that the East fought the law while the
West favored it. Now, if / know any,
thing about it, the Oneida county
farmer is the one that is going to profit
by the law, while the western producer
and dealer will be the losers" OF
course we in the East will rejoice if
the law operates to the advantage of
our farmers, though the cost of living
may be somewhat increased to con-
sumers; but whatever contributes to
the prosperity of our farming class will
benefit all other classes. And vet if
the effect is to increase the cost of
western meats, flour and feed to New
England consumers, the latter will not
regard this prospect with entire COM
placency. 1t is certain, however, that
if the West should suffer to any serious
extent on account of this law the East
would not long enjoy the possible adj
vantage in its favor. The West has
the great preponderance of votes in
congress, and the doom of the law, at
least in its present shape, would soon
be sealed. Inasmuch as the passage of
the law was mainly secured by the
clamor of large portion of the people
and newspaper press in the West it
might be regarded as no more than fair
that that section should now make the
best of it, but it is too much to expect
that the western farmers will consent
to be cut off from many of the ad,
vantages they have heretofore enjoyed
in their competition with the eastern
farmers.
Another possibly favorable result OF
the long and short haul clause to the
.nto &c